


In Which the Great Booby Virtually Makes Love to a Bit of Cloth Found in a Garden and Mistakenly Attributed to Cosette

by chaos_yet_harmony



Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 10:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3116906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaos_yet_harmony/pseuds/chaos_yet_harmony





	In Which the Great Booby Virtually Makes Love to a Bit of Cloth Found in a Garden and Mistakenly Attributed to Cosette

It was in truth just a handkerchief, but to Marius it was a holy relic. This scrap of cloth might, as some point, have actually touched the perfect face of his Ursula. The idea thrilled him, and filled him with not a bit of envy. That this handkerchief had touched her mouth, while she still had yet to meet his eyes! But soon, soon. Perhaps this was the means by which he would gain her love..

When Marius spread it over his pillow, the handkerchief became an altar-cloth of uncommon beauty; the bed became an altar at which Marius could offer his prayers for the love of this perfect specimen of womanhood. When he lowered his head, he made sure that his lips were touching the cloth. At times, he stroked the initial. Who had lovingly embroidered that initial, that simple letter, U, which said so little yet meant so much? Had it been Ursula herself? Once again he was thrilled, and not in an entirely decent way. A thought occurred to Marius: If Ursula had indeed embroidered this, had she suffered any injury? Had a needle slipped past the thimble, puncturing the little white finger? Marius felt a sudden rage at that needle, that cruel needle that had caused Ursula’s blood to be spilled. Damn you, U! It was in this frame of mind that Marius fell asleep.

—-

The Luxembourg!

That was Marius’s first thought upon waking. The Luxembourg, and dear Ursula! Glancing down at his pillow, he noted that he had drooled slightly upon the handkerchief. He would do a penance later.

Marius did not dress in haste. He made his toilet carefully.He did not have a mirror, so he had to take his chances on his hair, which he would later examine in a shop window. Dressed, he folded the handkerchief with the utmost care and placed it deep into his pocket, beside his heart.

Ah, Ursula!

Would it be today? he thought as he hurried through the streets? Would Ursula recognize the favor she had unwittingly left, be touched by Marius’s devotion and plead her unending love?

He could only hope.  
  
Ah, and there she was! Sitting by the old man’s side, sweetly oblivious. Marius settled onto his customary bench and, silently praying, withdrew the handkerchief.

Ursula did not appear to notice.

Marius kissed the handkerchief. He held it to his nose and breathed in its sweet scent (or so he thought: the original scent had long since been replaced by that of Marius’s soap).

Ursula was asking the old man about a bird.

The music of her voice only motivated Marius further. He gave a deep sigh, and pressed the handkerchief to his heart. A passerby might have thought that he was suffering some sort of attack—indigestion, perhaps. Marius gathered up all the love and pain and released it into yet another sigh.

This time, she looked at him. She  _looked_ at him!

Careful to display the monogram, Marius kissed the handkerchief once more. He held it against his cheek, and tried to look tragic.  
  
She looked confused.

Marius kissed the initial itself.  
  
Ursula whispered something to her father, and a moment later they both got up and left.  
  
Marius walked home in agony.


End file.
